


Batman's heart

by Cellandning



Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Protective Clark Kent, Romantic Fluff, just... mostly fluff really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 19:47:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15274920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cellandning/pseuds/Cellandning
Summary: The watchtower’s system suddenly loses track of Batman. Superman’s instincts tells him something isn’t right and teleports to Gotham. The tech in the watchtower is beyond high-end but it’s nowhere near the sensitivity of his senses. Superman can pick up Bruce’s heartbeat from wherever, whenever. So why can’t the man of steel hear the heart of the love of his life now?





	Batman's heart

**Author's Note:**

> I apologies beforehand for the miss-spelling that’s definitely here. I have dyslexia but don’t have a beta reader. Really should get around to finding one of those. I’m also sorry for any misuse of terminology, like “teleport pad”, it was a while ago I watch JLA so I don’t remember what they called everything.
> 
> This work was inspired by a tumblr post I found while looking through my old Batman related reblogs. I couldn’t find any full fic exploring this so I wrote it myself. If you know of any fic that does explore this please send it to me, I would love to read it :) .
> 
> the post: http://superbatheadcanons.tumblr.com/post/143507143953/batman-once-used-a-device-to-conceal-his-heartbeat
> 
> Edit 13/07: Realised a few frases ment to be in italic was changed to normal when I pasted this over from Word so fixed this miss.

Some kind of snake monster was roaming around Gotham. It was a failed experiment by one of the mad scientists the Justice League fight daily. J’onn had mentioned who, probably, but Superman had stopped listening after “we lost track of Batman”. It was like a stone had dropped in his stomach. Clark was worried about the man he loved, obviously. He was always worried, but something was different today. A chill started at his lower back and slowly crept up his spine. The thought _something’s not right_ shot threw his mind.

The tech in the watchtower was beyond high-end but it was still nowhere near the sensitivity of Superman’s senses. Especially when he focused on a single target, and particularly when the target was Batman. The moment Clark herd the news he flew to the teleport pad and transported himself to Gotham. He floated above the dark city and couldn’t help to think _I should really try visiting this place during the day_. Superman widened his senses and took in the whole city. Every police siren, date night conversation, arguments within a family, all of it, looking for one person’s voice, one person’s heart.

In all the years they’ve known each other, first wary of the others intention, then colleges, then friends, then _friends_ , then so much more, Clark could always pick up on Bruce’s distinct heartbeat. Whether or not the heart was slowing down, like that one fight between Batman and mr. Freeze were Batman had almost died from hypothermia, or going at a rapid pace like it did when the Scarecrow's fear toxins had triggered Bruce to have a panic attack. Superman had been busy dealing with Luthor, again, during Batman's confrontation with the Scarecrow. He’d heard Batman’s racing heart but hadn’t been able to find an opening to leave. Superman wouldn’t have left the fight regardless anyway, even if every fiber of his being had wanted too. Batman would have found some way to cut of his balls if he had let a criminal go just to save him, Superman might have been a bit extra rough tearing of Luthor’s new power suit though. Luckily for everyone Nightwing had been with his father that day and taken care of the Scarecrow and Bruce.

Tim had backed up Batman during their fight with mr. Freeze. Superman hadn’t been preoccupied with any super villain that evening, but Clark was in the middle of a meeting at the Daily Planet. Batman wouldn’t have been as angry at putting one’s civilian identity at risk if it meant saving lives but he wouldn’t have been happy it was done to save his. At least not if there were others not leaving battles or risking outing their identities that could help instead. Tonight tough, tonight Batman was working alone.

After seconds that felt way to long Superman found something large hissing. The sound was a bit muffled, _underground then, figures_. He heard heavy boots splashing in water, then some kind of thud and a grunt. He heard panting but then it was gone, the splashing had stopped but he herd the hiss again. The boots were definitely the Bats. The sound wasn’t as indistinguishable as a heartbeat but… he couldn’t pick up a heartbeat. The ice he’d felt within him turned to fire. Like a comet Superman shot threw the city, smashing trough the ground right on to the monster. It was knocked out before it even hit the ground.

Franticly Clark looked around, desperately listening for a raspy breath or disturbance in the tunnels water. The seconds were to long, Bruce could be _dying_. “Batman!? Bat-”, splash. A step, from behind him. Superman turned around, ready to punch if a new enemy had arrived, ready to fly away as fast as a human body could handle if it was “Batman!”. Before Bruce had even taken a breath in to answer they were up in the sky on their way to Gotham General Hospital. “Clark, calm down! I’m fine!”.

Clark stopped in his tracks and finally took a good look at Bruce. He seemed surprisingly awake and clear for someone _without a heartbeat_! Batman, observant as always, must have noticed that Clark was still shaken up by it all because he pulled of his mask and cupped Clark’s cheek. “I’m _fine_ Clark”. A thin line of blood was running down from Bruce’s temple, but his pupils wasn’t dilated so he didn’t seem to have a concussion. Superman’s x-ray showed no broken bones, but it did pick up some strange new gadget right above Bruce’s heart. Clark could see Bruce’s heart beating but when he put his hand over Bruce’s chest he couldn’t feel it and he still couldn’t hear hit.

Seeing Bruce alive and well had calmed Clark enough to put two and two together. “ _This thing”_ Superman practically growled, feeling the gadget underneath his hand on top of Bruce’s heart. “It conceals my heartbeat. The beast could track me trough the sound of my heart so I had too-” Superman didn’t let Bruce finish before he ripped it off and crushed it in his hand. Batman was not impressed and gave him a look that said ‘ _seriously?’_ but Clark could care less. “ _Never_ use this again”. “So I should’ve just let the monster find me then?” Bruce deadpanned. “You should’ve called for me!”, “I can take care of myself Clark”.

This, this was something familiar. A conversation they’ve had plenty of times. Bruce was alive and everything was fine. Clark let out a sigh of relief and with it the worry and anger practically vaporized. He leaned his forehead against Bruce’s and closed his eyes. Letting the sound of Bruce’s beating heart, his sent and his breath on Clark’s throat fill his senses. “Just… just warn me next time you’re going to use one of these, alright?”. Bruce let out a grunt but snaked his arms around Clark’s neck. “It’s not going to be anytime soon. You just destroyed my only prototype… but fine”. Clark let out a small laugh and gave Bruce a chaste kiss, pouring all his love and gratitude towards this wonderful man in that one action, with Gotham’s night sky illuminating their embrace.


End file.
